We also did something similar. Since I am the SysAdmin, I was
project manager, and the same team that was used to make the
original ERP selection was the core group to learn the system and
get all the data ready for import. Since they were all essential
department heads and managers, it then fell to them to train their
respective employees. We started with the bare minimum to keep daily
business going and then gradually added modules and functionality.
Regarding Epicor consultants, we started with one who left Epicor a
month later. Our schedule did slip slightly because of that, but our
new consultant and the regional manager bent over backwards to get
things back up to speed, including a site visit from the regional
manager and our CAM at the time. What's interesting is that
consultants have information and procedures that isn't available to
Vantage Support. I think it's done on purpose to keep the
consultants in business and not turn support into a "How do I
implement XXX?" type of situation. The best thing our consultant did
was keep us honest in our schedule and implementation. If he was
there for one of his contractually obligated 71 days, then we knew
we had to deal with Vantage that day! I actually moved my office to
the back row of our training room for the final 3 months just to
keep on top of things.
Ron Cole, IT Manager
IED, Inc.
rcole@...
project manager, and the same team that was used to make the
original ERP selection was the core group to learn the system and
get all the data ready for import. Since they were all essential
department heads and managers, it then fell to them to train their
respective employees. We started with the bare minimum to keep daily
business going and then gradually added modules and functionality.
Regarding Epicor consultants, we started with one who left Epicor a
month later. Our schedule did slip slightly because of that, but our
new consultant and the regional manager bent over backwards to get
things back up to speed, including a site visit from the regional
manager and our CAM at the time. What's interesting is that
consultants have information and procedures that isn't available to
Vantage Support. I think it's done on purpose to keep the
consultants in business and not turn support into a "How do I
implement XXX?" type of situation. The best thing our consultant did
was keep us honest in our schedule and implementation. If he was
there for one of his contractually obligated 71 days, then we knew
we had to deal with Vantage that day! I actually moved my office to
the back row of our training room for the final 3 months just to
keep on top of things.
Ron Cole, IT Manager
IED, Inc.
rcole@...
--- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "Gerard Wadman" <gwadman@...> wrote:
>
> We did the same thing Pam, we assembled a team of six users that
> received all the necessary training and went live with that group.
Other
> users were added after we assessed their competence in the Training
> environment.
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: vantage@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf
> Of Lindquist, Pam
> Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 9:23 AM
> To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: [Vantage] Epicor Consultants
>
>
>
> I agree - all installations are very painful and Epicor has been
one of
> the easiest I've ever implemented.
> We ran into an issue with one of the consultants not being
compatible
> and were very happy with the response we received from our
complaints.
> We were reassigned to another consultant.
>
> We did find that the whole overall canned and structured
implementation
> was designed to train absolutely everyone in the place at one
time. We
> objected to that approach and insisted on a more lean approach.
>
> Only a small group of key Financial and Mfg people were trained
first
> (Controller, Asst Controller, Production Coordinator, Sales
Manager).
> Once we had all modules up and running we started adding other
staff
> members. Each new member had to go through on-line training and
then
> classroom training prior to being allowed into the software. After
> returning from classroom training, the new member would be given
access
> to the "TEST" database with a copy of our live data. A previously
> trained co-worker would spend as much time as necessary with that
new
> member actually doing real work in the "TEST" database. Then that
new
> member would be turned loose to do their job in the live database.
>
> We pulled our consultant in periodically for group question and
answer
> sessions. The participants would be only those who were operating
in the
> live database at the time of the session. These session proved to
be
> valuable to explain why something was the way it was and how to
use tips
> and tricks to get what we needed. They also allowed all our staff
to
> feel as if their voice was being heard by Epicor and helped to
alleviate
> some of the grieving for the old system that is common to all
> conversions.
>
> You do need a project manager, either in-house, or hired who is
> dedicated close to 100% to implementation and training. This person
> should know how your business operates, the needs of every
potential
> user of the system and be responsible for learning the table
structure
> of Vantage. I believe it is unreasonable to expect an Epicor
consultant
> to come in and learn your business needs fast enough to have the
> implementation be effective.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Pam Lindquist
> Controller
> Metro Machine & Engineering
> 8001 Wallace Rd
> Eden Prairie, MN 55344
> (952) 259-3645
> fax (952) 937-2374
> plindquist@... <mailto:plindquist%40metromachine.com>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: vantage@yahoogroups.com <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com>
> [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups.com <mailto:vantage%
40yahoogroups.com> ] On
> Behalf
> Of Gerard Wadman
> Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 7:30 AM
> To: vantage@yahoogroups.com <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: RE: [Vantage] Epicor Consultants
>
> ERP implementations are painful in general, I don't envy Epicor
> consultants at all.
>
> I've been through 2 other ERP business installs over the last five
years
> and none were easy.
>
> Training is the main issue and based on the complexity of Vantage
8, it
> will be at least three of four months after go live before your
users
> will be proficient with the system. We have been live since last
> November and I'm still learning new things about the tools and the
table
> structure.
>
> Having gone through an SAP install, I can tell you that Vantage is
> breeze compared to that.
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: vantage@yahoogroups.com <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com>
> <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com>
> [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups.com <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com>
> <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com> ] On
> Behalf
> Of Joe Rojas
> Sent: Monday, June 05, 2006 11:54 AM
> To: vantage@yahoogroups.com <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com>
> <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [Vantage] Epicor Consultants
>
> Hi All,
>
> We have an Epicor Consultant that is helping us with our
implementation
> of Vantage.
>
> Overall we are unhappy with the services that we have received
thus far.
>
> When I addressed our concerns with our consultant's boss he left me
> feeling like our expectations are too high.
>
> Is there anyone else on this list that is using an Epicor
consultant for
> their implementation? If yes, how is it going with him or her?
>
> If it's been a bumpy road, what are the issues you are having?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Joe Rojas
>
> IT Manager
>
> TNCO, Inc.
>
> 781-447-6661 x7506
>
> jrojas@... <mailto:jrojas%40tnco-inc.com>
> <mailto:jrojas%40tnco-inc.com>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You
must
> have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable
access. )
> (1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report
Builder
> and Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/>
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/> >
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/>
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/> > >
> (2) To search through old msg's goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages>
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages> >
> (3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links>
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links> >
>
> SPONSORED LINKS
>
> Manufacturing software
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Manufacturing+software&w1=Manufactu
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Manufacturing+software&w1=Manufactu
> >
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Manufacturing+software&w1=Manufactu
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Manufacturing+software&w1=Manufactu
> >
> >
>
ring+software&w2=Membership+database+software&w3=Database+mortgage+so
ftw
>
are&w4=Pda+database+software&w5=Database+management+software&w6=Datab
ase
> +marketing+software&c=6&s=188&.sig=OG5F3819UOUOg63i0bu6kA>
>
> Membership database software
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Membership+database+software&w1=Man
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Membership+database+software&w1=Man
> >
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Membership+database+software&w1=Man
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Membership+database+software&w1=Man
> >
> >
>
ufacturing+software&w2=Membership+database+software&w3=Database+mortg
age
>
+software&w4=Pda+database+software&w5=Database+management+software&w6
=Da
> tabase+marketing+software&c=6&s=188&.sig=N5BGdur84p-jyuOomcQdbQ>
>
> Database mortgage software
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+mortgage+software&w1=Manuf
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+mortgage+software&w1=Manuf
> >
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+mortgage+software&w1=Manuf
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+mortgage+software&w1=Manuf
> >
> >
>
acturing+software&w2=Membership+database+software&w3=Database+mortgag
e+s
>
oftware&w4=Pda+database+software&w5=Database+management+software&w6=D
ata
> base+marketing+software&c=6&s=188&.sig=8rvcSQnCqJhTCZu-0Si39A>
>
> Pda database software
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Pda+database+software&w1=Manufactur
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Pda+database+software&w1=Manufactur
> >
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Pda+database+software&w1=Manufactur
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Pda+database+software&w1=Manufactur
> >
> >
>
ing+software&w2=Membership+database+software&w3=Database+mortgage+sof
twa
>
re&w4=Pda+database+software&w5=Database+management+software&w6=Databa
se+
> marketing+software&c=6&s=188&.sig=u3KQrTRPAQfsWIT39aHDkg>
>
> Database management software
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+management+software&w1=Man
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+management+software&w1=Man
> >
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+management+software&w1=Man
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+management+software&w1=Man
> >
> >
>
ufacturing+software&w2=Membership+database+software&w3=Database+mortg
age
>
+software&w4=Pda+database+software&w5=Database+management+software&w6
=Da
> tabase+marketing+software&c=6&s=188&.sig=R3CF3ODPY4gwjDZjykQYvw>
>
> Database marketing software
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+marketing+software&w1=Manu
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+marketing+software&w1=Manu
> >
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+marketing+software&w1=Manu
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Database+marketing+software&w1=Manu
> >
> >
>
facturing+software&w2=Membership+database+software&w3=Database+mortga
ge+
>
software&w4=Pda+database+software&w5=Database+management+software&w6=
Dat
> abase+marketing+software&c=6&s=188&.sig=lmBkRUiBtvHI1u5dkymDcw>
>
> ________________________________
>
> YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
>
> * Visit your group "vantage
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage>
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage> > > " on the web.
>
> * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> vantage-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:vantage-unsubscribe%40yahoogroups.com>
> <mailto:vantage-unsubscribe%40yahoogroups.com>
> <mailto:vantage-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:vantage-unsubscribe%40yahoogroups.com>
> <mailto:vantage-unsubscribe%40yahoogroups.com> ?
subject=Unsubscribe>
>
> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>
> <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> >
> > .
>
> ________________________________
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>